Some weekends are meant to be unforgettable, and from Thursday, July 25th to Saturday, July 27th, 2024, I had one of those once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Over the span of three action-packed days, I found myself jumping out of planes, hiking through the night, sleeping under the stars, and soaring over mountains with my paraglider. Let me take you along on this epic journey.
Thursday Afternoon: The Adventure Begins with Two Skydives
After a great lunch at the work canteen on Thursday, July 25th, 2024, I wrapped up my shift at 1:00 PM, feeling the pull of adventure in the air. With the car packed, I drove 1.5 hours to the skydiving dropzone in Hohenems, Austria. The plan? A couple of jumps to kick off the long weekend.
By the time I reached the dropzone, the weather was perfect—clear skies and just the right amount of wind. My first jump was pure bliss, as always: the thrill of freefall, the smooth glide under the canopy, and the satisfaction of landing safely back on Earth. That rush of adrenaline was just the beginning, so I quickly went for a second skydive in the early evening.
After my second jump, as the sun started to set and the air cooled, I realized I still had plenty of energy and a burning desire to do more. That’s when the next part of my adventure began to unfold.
Thursday Night: Hiking to the Hohe Kugel
After my second skydive, a fellow jumper suggested a nearby hike to the summit of Hohe Kugel, famed for its panoramic views over Lake Constance (Bodensee) and the surrounding Alps. He mentioned it would be a quick two-hour hike from the dropzone, which sounded perfect to me. With that in mind, I made a spontaneous decision to take on the challenge.
I packed lightly but smartly: hiking boots, a bottle of water, some salmon sandwiches, apples, my paraglider, and just enough overnight gear (a sleeping mat, bivy sack, and sleeping bag) for a night under the stars. It was already around 9:00 PM when I set off, and I quickly realized that the hike would be more demanding than anticipated. The trail was steeper, longer, and more rugged than I had expected, and as nightfall came, the path became trickier to follow.
Luckily, I had my Garmin Fenix 7X on hand, and its built-in flashlight proved to be incredibly useful. Navigating the mountain trail in pitch darkness would have been nearly impossible without it. The ascent took much longer than I had anticipated, and after several hours of steady climbing, I finally reached the summit at about 1:00 AM, completely exhausted.
But any fatigue I felt immediately faded once I saw the view. The city lights shimmered far below, and above me, the sky was a sea of stars. To top it off, the faint glow of the northern lights was visible—barely perceptible to the naked eye but captured more clearly in the photo I took (see below). Even though the aurora was faint, sleeping beneath that soft glow was nothing short of magical. The trek was well worth the effort.
I set up my bivy sack and sleeping mat, then laid back, gazing at the stars and the ethereal green glow above. Moments like these remind you why you seek out adventure in the first place. Soon, I drifted off to sleep, completely at peace with the world around me.
The track I followed up to the summit can be seen below, along with a photo from my bivy setup at the top. Sleeping under the northern lights—faint as they were—was an unforgettable experience.
Friday Morning: A Sunrise Worth the Wait
I woke up just before 5:00 AM on Friday to the sound of other hikers arriving to catch the sunrise. Still groggy but eager to see the sunrise, I pulled myself out of my sleeping bag and watched as the first rays of sunlight painted the landscape in soft hues of pink and gold. It was a magical moment, and all the effort to hike up the night before felt completely worth it.
With the sun fully risen, I packed up my gear and prepared for my descent—not by hiking, but by flying down with my paraglider. Unfortunately, the wind was too strong to safely launch right after sunrise, so I had to wait for the conditions to calm down. It wasn’t until around 9:00 AM that the wind finally relented enough for me to take off. The flight down was smooth and exhilarating, giving me a bird’s-eye view of the landscape I had just hiked through.
I landed safely near the soccer field in Dornbirn, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. But my adventure wasn’t over yet.
Friday Afternoon: Paragliding in Wildhaus, Switzerland
After landing, I called a fellow paraglider who lived nearby, a pilot I had never flown with before. On a whim, we decided to make the most of the day and head to Wildhaus, Switzerland, next to Säntis, for some more paragliding. Wildhaus is a dream location for paraglider pilots, with its wide-open spaces and beautiful Alpine scenery near the famous Säntis.
Once we arrived, we spent the first part of the day practicing ground handling to prepare for the flight since we expected strong winds at the top. By the afternoon, we were both ready to launch from one of the Churfirsten peaks with a stunning view of the Walensee lake below. The wind was calmer than expected at the top, and the flight turned out to be even more picturesque than I had remembered from previous trips.
The conditions were perfect, and after a successful flight, we made our way back to Hohenems. But my day wasn’t done yet.
Friday Evening: One Last Skydive and a Much-Needed Rest
Back at the dropzone in Hohenems, I felt the urge to squeeze in one last skydive before the day ended. Even after the hike, the early morning flight, and paragliding in Switzerland, I still had a bit of energy left for one final jump. As the sun set, I completed my third skydive of the weekend, feeling a rush of adrenaline and pure joy.
By the time I landed, the fatigue from the past two days finally caught up with me. While the other skydivers prepared to party the night away (as they usually do on Friday nights), I decided to take it easy. I laced up my running shoes for a quick jog around the dropzone, which helped me wind down after such an action-packed day. By 9:00 PM, I was fast asleep, dreaming of the adventures yet to come.
Saturday: Five More Skydives to Cap Off the Weekend
Saturday was the final chapter of this epic weekend, and I wanted to make the most of it. I woke up a bit later than usual—not at 5:00 AM, as is typical for me, but at 7:30 AM. Still, I felt surprisingly refreshed despite the intensity of the previous days. I signed up for the first flight at 8:00 AM, and by 8:20 AM, I had already jumped out of the plane again.
After a quick breakfast, I completed four more jumps. The weather was perfect, the winds were steady, and my energy levels were high. I felt like I was in my element, jumping out of planes, pulling off smooth landings, and enjoying the camaraderie with fellow skydivers. By the end of the day, I was physically exhausted but completely satisfied. It was time to head home, carrying with me memories of one of the best weekends of my life.
A 3-Day Adventure to Remember
From Thursday’s lunch at the canteen to Saturday’s final skydive, this was a weekend of nonstop adventure. What started as a simple idea of going skydiving turned into an unforgettable journey that took me hiking through the night, sleeping under the stars, flying off mountaintops, and soaring through the air in Switzerland.
The summit of Hohe Kugel, with its panoramic views and starlit sky, stands out as one of the highlights. The paragliding in Wildhaus offered a beautiful contrast to the intense skydiving sessions, bringing peace and serenity in the heart of the Swiss Alps. And, of course, the sheer number of jumps I completed throughout the weekend made it a skydiver’s dream.
I’ve learned that the best adventures are the ones that come together spontaneously. They push you beyond your limits, give you new perspectives, and leave you with stories you’ll never forget. So, what’s your next adventure going to be? Let me know in the comments!
Thanks for reading! Whether you’re into skydiving, hiking, or paragliding, there’s always a new adventure waiting just around the corner.
